Athens and Mykonos - Day Three

Delos and the Cyclades
The sacred islands
The 150 islands of the Cyclades, of which only 33 are inhabited, form a circle in the southern Aegean Sea - kyklos in Greek - around the island of Delos, sanctuary of the god of Beauty, Apollo. It can be reached in half an hour by boat from Mykonos. According to legend, it was on this islet, called Ortygia, that Leto, one of Zeus' mistresses, pursued by Hera's jealousy, was able to give birth to Apollo and his twin sister Artemis, after nine days and nights of pain.

Around 540 BC, the Ionians developed a religious site on the island where it was forbidden to be born and die. From the 4th century onwards, the island became one of the main ports in the eastern Mediterranean. In the 1st century BC, Delos was at its peak, but in 88 AD the island was sacked by Mithridates VI and then abandoned for centuries before the Venetians took it back.

Today, the site boasts temples with sunken columns and the Terrace of the Lions, the originals of which are on display in the museum. The museum also contains archaic kouros and a marble statue of Apollo. A truly timeless experience.

Greek flavours
Salad and mezze
Greek salad is the national dish of the islands. However, the local cuisine also offers delicious mezze, an assortment of starters such as tzatziki, tarama or dolmades, vine leaves stuffed with rice. For a more sophisticated meal, we also serve cheese puff pastries, souvlaki (small kebabs) or keftedes (meatballs). All accompanied by a glass of ouzo or retsinned white wine.

Mykronos by night
The party
You can't come to Mykonos, Ibiza's cousin in spirit, without partying. Some beaches have their own nightclubs, but it's the pub crawl that's the most popular local sport. There's plenty to drink, lots of dancing and plenty of kissing. Every venue has its own trendy decor and deafening hits that don't even bother the locals, who have long since become accustomed to this collective madness. And it goes on, of course, until dawn.

The hotel
Manoulas beach
Four kilometres from Mykonos, in the south-west of the island, a small, very quiet peninsula is home to a number of hotels, including the attractive Manoulas Beach. The 77 rooms and suites, simply and elegantly decorated in traditional Cycladic style, overlook the sea and all have balconies. Near the beach: a beautiful swimming pool and a restaurant serving Greek specialities. Agios Ioannis, Saint John. Mykonos
Tel: +30 22890 22900
Fax : +30 22890 24314
E-mail : manoulas@otenet.gr
Internet : www.hotelmanoulas.gr